BY JOSEPH BUSTOS SVN REPORTER jbustos@svnmail.com
STERLING - About 200 of Sterling High School's 1,150 students were absent Friday as the district beefed up security in the wake of rumors that a student had threatened to shoot students and faculty at the school on that day.
Many students were called off despite the effort to quell fears Thursday with an automated telephone message to parents from Principal Jerry Binder, explaining that the student who allegedly made the threat April 11 has been removed from school.
A usual day sees about 70 absences; Friday's will be excused if the students were absent out of fear, Binder said.
On April 11, a teacher found a note written by an 18-year-old student that said there would be a shooting at the school on a Friday. The threat was generic, aimed at students and faculty, but did not specify any particular victim or date, Superintendent Wil Booker said Thursday.
Police were called to investigate and found no evidence that the threat was credible, Booker said, declining to elaborate.
The teen was suspended April 12, and faces expulsion at the next board meeting, Booker said. As of Friday, no criminal charges had been filed against him.
Police and school district officials would not release his name. He did have some disciplinary issues in the past, but nothing to indicate that he would be a danger to the school, Binder said.
Friday, extra police officers were posted on campus and doors into the school and the classrooms were locked. The "soft lockdown" will continue until the end of next week, Booker said.
The note was found last week, so the threat appears to be coincidental to Monday's fatal shootings at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va.
Anyone with questions can call the high school at (815) 625-6800.
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